Eco Stiletto: Sexy, Sustainable Hair Color: TouchBack Plus

We know, we know. You found your chemical color when you found that first strand of gray and you’re not about to change shades now. But may we interest you in a less-toxic alternative for those in-between weeks?

Formulated without ammonia, peroxides or sulfates, TouchBack Plusis the first total system of interlocking formulas for color renewal, maintenance and gray root touch-up to keep hair looking gorgeous between permanent colorings. Customize color vibrancy by choosing shampoos, conditioners and leave-in conditioners; there’s even a marker designed to deposit color on brows (but we like it for roots).

And maybe, just maybe, after you see how well ammonia- and peroxide-free color works, you’ll consider a switch.

Can hair dye really make you sick? Well, duh. Flip over a box of hair dye and read the ingredients. Coal tar, peroxide, benzene, ammonia, toluene, paraphenylenediamine—do these things sound healthy to you? All hold a special place in our Big List of Things That Suck, and even the FDA warns that conventional hair dyes can cause respiratory problems, hair loss and skin irritation—among other problems. Some gnarly chemicals like lead acetate—listed as a carcinogen in California—are actually banned for cosmetic use in the European Union; lead acetate is a neurotoxin that can actually cause fetal mortality. Think about what that stuff does to the ecosystem when it goes down the drain. But what’s a graying green girl to do—aside from learning to love her true colors? (As if.) We found solutions to love from Palette by Nature, LUSH, TouchBack Plus and Original Moxie.

The blog is the brainchild of Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, a former CEO of Healthy Child Healthy World who was editor of Children magazine—before she had three of her own. Rachel was featured in Los Angeles and Lucky magazines and has appeared on “Today,” “Access Hollywood” and “CNN Headline News,” among others. She is a writer, consultant and pre/postnatal yoga teacher, who also helps families with Healthy Home Assessments. Rachel can also be found on HuffPo Parents, at www.MommyGreenest.com, https://www.facebook.com/MommyGreenest on Facebook, at YouTube.com/RachelSarnoff and tweeting regularly as @RachelLSarnoff.